how can iphone automatically switch to strongest wifi signal at home

I have an iphone 4 with iOS 5.0.1 installed. Because of all the concrete floors in our house, our main wifi router cannot supply a strong signal to the upper floors. Therefore I have installed a range extender on one of the upper floors. When I am downstairs, the ihpone logs on automatically to the main signal, which is the strongest. When I go to one of the higher floors, it doesn't switch automatically to the extender signal, which becomes the stronger signal then. It still maintains its connection to the main router downstairs, which has then turned into a poor connection with only one dot on the wifi icon and endless loading times with frequent errors.

The iphone is setup for both the main router and the extender (both are known networks which it should join automatically), so it should be no problem to automatically switch from one to the other. But instead of choosing the strongest signal, it tends to maintain 'connected' to its original signal as long as possible, even if this means a slow or bad connection.

If there are stronger known networks, this doesn't make sense... Is there any way to work around this? Otherwise an idea for Apple for future updates?

Kind regards,

Michael

Posted on Nov 19, 2011 1:25 AM

37 replies

dsfox

Level 1

18 points

Jul 30, 2017 1:58 PM in response to modular747

I have tried all routers with same ssid and all routers with different ssid. As you say, if the ssid is different it won't switch. If the ssids are all the same ... I'm not sure, I can't figure out how to tell which router the phone is connected to. But it feels like its not switching as readily as I would like, some parts of the house are at times very weak, at other times very strong.

gbrenik

Level 3

525 points

Nov 19, 2011 1:50 AM in response to modular747

the question was referring to two access points for the same network, which the iPhone does switch between automatically.

uxio

Level 1

0 points

Nov 22, 2011 11:19 AM in response to Koelie73

I was able to do that, with a WN2000RPT EXTENDER. I changed the original ssid (router) ans added _ext, so both nets are with the same ssid. it works ok.

Lexiepex

Level 6

14,108 points

Dec 31, 2013 7:23 AM in response to Sussex_Wolf

set them to the same channel or set the extender to automatically choose channel.

TClancey

Level 1

20 points

Feb 12, 2017 1:05 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

I was thinking that. Hmm, interesting. I wonder whats different in the setup. Do you know what hardware infrastructure is installed?

Thanks Lawrence.

Feb 12, 2017 2:01 PM in response to TClancey

Offhand, I don't know the hardware, but it is used in the museum world pretty widely. I'll check next time I get a chance.

TClancey

Level 1

20 points

Feb 12, 2017 2:04 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

Thanks Lawrence, very kind.

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how can iphone automatically switch to strongest wifi signal at home